Humza Yousaf has made a direct appeal to pro-independence voters to back the SNP at the coming general election, as polls show support slipping away from his party.
Launching the SNP’s election campaign at the Oran Mor in Glasgow, the First Minister said those who believed in separation “must vote" for his party.
He said UK Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer “will use every single vote for Labour in Scotland as a vote against independence”.
Mr Yousaf added: “He will argue that every vote for Labour is a vote of confidence in Westminster control. So the message is very simple – if you believe that decisions about Scotland should be taken in Scotland, if you believe in independence, then you must vote for the SNP. If you want to see an independent Scotland, you have to get out, you have to vote.”
Recent polls have shown a drop in support for the SNP in Scotland while backing for Labour has grown. However, support for independence has remained stable, suggesting a loosening of the link between pro-independence sentiment and backing for the SNP.
Labour is targeting as many as two dozen seats north of the border, with the party confident of making gains across the central belt.
Addressing party figures in Glasgow, Mr Yousaf said it is “very clear now” that Sir Keir will be the next prime minister. However, he said the only certainty of a Labour government is that it will be followed by a Tory one.
“Keir Starmer doesn’t need Scotland to win the election,” Mr Yousaf said.
“Scotland needs SNP MPs to make sure that we are not ignored and that Scotland’s voice is heard.”
He said the UK was heading down the wrong path, with an unhealthy “cosy consensus” among the Westminster parties.
Mr Yousaf went on to vow his MPs would seek to “work constructively with a Labour government to introduce measures for a fairer country”. But he also promised they would look to prevent a future Labour government from “backsliding on green investment” and seek to protect the NHS from “creeping privatisation at Westminster”.
Earlier, Mr Yousaf admitted the independence cause will move “backwards” if the SNP loses seats at the election, but insisted that will not stop the debate.
Addressing comments made by his own senior MP Tommy Sheppard, who said independence would be hindered if the party fails to retain the majority of seats in Scotland, Mr Yousaf said the SNP will push for independence “regardless of what the election results are”.
He told the BBC: “Tommy Sheppard is not wrong in saying, of course, that if the message in Scotland is that Scotland votes for Labour MPs, and if that is the message that Keir Starmer sees, then of course that will take our independence backwards.”
Asked directly if the debate on independence will stop if the party fails to win the most seats, Mr Yousaf said: “No. The SNP will never stop campaigning for independence. It hasn’t stopped campaigning in its almost 90 years of existence, and it will continue to campaign for independence
Launching the SNP’s election campaign at the Oran Mor in Glasgow, the First Minister said those who believed in separation “must vote" for his party.
He said UK Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer “will use every single vote for Labour in Scotland as a vote against independence”.
Mr Yousaf added: “He will argue that every vote for Labour is a vote of confidence in Westminster control. So the message is very simple – if you believe that decisions about Scotland should be taken in Scotland, if you believe in independence, then you must vote for the SNP. If you want to see an independent Scotland, you have to get out, you have to vote.”
Recent polls have shown a drop in support for the SNP in Scotland while backing for Labour has grown. However, support for independence has remained stable, suggesting a loosening of the link between pro-independence sentiment and backing for the SNP.
Labour is targeting as many as two dozen seats north of the border, with the party confident of making gains across the central belt.
Addressing party figures in Glasgow, Mr Yousaf said it is “very clear now” that Sir Keir will be the next prime minister. However, he said the only certainty of a Labour government is that it will be followed by a Tory one.
“Keir Starmer doesn’t need Scotland to win the election,” Mr Yousaf said.
“Scotland needs SNP MPs to make sure that we are not ignored and that Scotland’s voice is heard.”
He said the UK was heading down the wrong path, with an unhealthy “cosy consensus” among the Westminster parties.
Mr Yousaf went on to vow his MPs would seek to “work constructively with a Labour government to introduce measures for a fairer country”. But he also promised they would look to prevent a future Labour government from “backsliding on green investment” and seek to protect the NHS from “creeping privatisation at Westminster”.
Earlier, Mr Yousaf admitted the independence cause will move “backwards” if the SNP loses seats at the election, but insisted that will not stop the debate.
Addressing comments made by his own senior MP Tommy Sheppard, who said independence would be hindered if the party fails to retain the majority of seats in Scotland, Mr Yousaf said the SNP will push for independence “regardless of what the election results are”.
He told the BBC: “Tommy Sheppard is not wrong in saying, of course, that if the message in Scotland is that Scotland votes for Labour MPs, and if that is the message that Keir Starmer sees, then of course that will take our independence backwards.”
Asked directly if the debate on independence will stop if the party fails to win the most seats, Mr Yousaf said: “No. The SNP will never stop campaigning for independence. It hasn’t stopped campaigning in its almost 90 years of existence, and it will continue to campaign for independence
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NewsTranscript
00:00 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:02 Good morning.
00:11 I'm Hannah Waters, a student.
00:14 I have to say, I'm really excited to open the SNP's
00:17 general election launch today.
00:19 Because this election, like many other young people
00:22 across Scotland, I will have my first ever chance
00:25 to vote in a general election.
00:26 [APPLAUSE]
00:30 Hi.
00:31 If I may, before I begin, I just want
00:36 to reflect upon events last evening in Yemen.
00:43 It has come as a surprise to me that I am actually
00:46 here in Glasgow today, as much as I do love this city.
00:51 Because myself and my colleagues in this room
00:54 should currently be in Westminster
00:57 questioning the United Kingdom Prime Minister for his decision
01:02 to launch military action.
01:04 You're right to be angry at Westminster.
01:08 Sounds like I could have said that,
01:10 but it wasn't actually me.
01:12 It was the leader of the Labour Party, Keir Starmer.
01:16 And for a change, I agree with him.
01:19 People are right to be angry with Westminster.
01:24 Because it is Westminster that gives Scotland's Tory
01:28 governments that we don't vote for.
01:31 It's Westminster that's given us Tory austerity,
01:35 that gave us Brexit, that gave us Boris,
01:38 that gave us Partygate, that gave us Liz Truss,
01:41 that gave us economic collapse, and which now has given us
01:45 a billionaire Prime Minister who looks on
01:48 at the cost of living crisis from his private jet.
01:52 And Scotland, it's a straight fight
01:55 between the Tories and the SNP.
01:57 So if the people of Scotland want our nation to be Tory-free,
02:02 they should vote SNP at the election this year.
02:07 If we want to have that battle of ideas on foreign policy,
02:11 then let's have it.
02:13 Because the SNP, we are clear in our values
02:16 that there must be humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza now.
02:22 [APPLAUSE]
02:24 Unlike the Labour Party and the Conservative Party,
02:30 only the SNP will always stand up for Scotland.
02:37 Only the SNP will always put Scotland's interests
02:42 at the forefront of everything that we do.
02:46 We will be Scotland's voice in Westminster.
02:51 We will protect and promote Scotland's values
02:55 and Scotland's future.
02:58 And we are clear that what we want to see
03:01 is Scotland's future in Scotland's hands.
03:06 It's why we believe in independence.
03:10 Westminster doesn't work for Scotland.
03:13 The ultimate truth is that any Labour MP from Scotland
03:18 who gets their seat under the table in Westminster
03:21 will take independence off it as soon as they get there.
03:26 And we cannot allow that to happen.
03:29 Vote SNP to be Tory-free.
03:32 Now, folks, it's my job this morning to do one more thing,
03:36 and that is to welcome onto the stage our party leader,
03:42 our first minister, Humza Yousaf.
03:44 [APPLAUSE]
03:47 Thank you.
03:52 Thank you, and good morning, everyone.
03:55 And thank you to Stephen.
03:57 Can I say that I am just one of many Scots
04:00 who enjoys watching you week after week run rings
04:04 around Rushie Sunai.
04:06 This election represents a huge opportunity for Scotland.
04:11 And today, I want to tell you how I think, together,
04:15 we can ensure the best outcome for our country.
04:19 So let's be absolutely clear at the outset.
04:22 Sunak is finished.
04:24 He's done as PM.
04:25 The Tories are done.
04:26 And thank goodness for it.
04:29 The damage that they have caused to Scotland's people
04:34 is simply unforgiving.
04:36 In every Tory-held seat north of the border,
04:40 we are the party in second place.
04:42 And today, therefore, I'm setting out
04:45 that ambition for the SNP to not only win the general election,
04:50 but let's wipe the Tories from Scotland's electoral map
04:54 by winning every single Tory seat in their country.
04:56 [APPLAUSE]
05:00 I'm Alistair Grant, and I'm the political editor
05:02 of The Scotsman.
05:03 And I'm here in the Oran Mor in Glasgow,
05:05 where the SNP is launching its general election campaign.
05:08 Of course, 2024, the year that we expect a general election
05:12 to take place.
05:13 Rishi Sunak has indicated it will take place
05:15 in the latter half of the year, so potentially quite
05:18 a number of months still to go.
05:20 But the SNP getting out early, getting
05:22 some of their key messages across, very much one of those
05:26 is Humza Yousaf's appeal to voters
05:27 to make Scotland Tory-free.
05:30 He points out that in the six Conservative-held seats
05:34 in Scotland, the SNP are in second place.
05:36 So he says they're the best party
05:38 to vote for if you want to see the Tories out of those seats.
05:42 But also very much a message from him
05:44 that the SNP are the only party that
05:45 can break what he calls the cosy consensus in Westminster
05:49 on issues like Brexit, spending cuts,
05:52 a perceived threat to the NHS by opening
05:55 the doors to privatisation, the so-called rape clause.
05:59 He's saying that only SNP MPs can break that consensus.
06:04 But also, of course, this is the SNP.
06:06 So a very clear message around independence.
06:10 He said that if you support independence,
06:12 if you back independence, then you must come out
06:15 and vote for the SNP.
06:16 They are the party that will push that.
06:18 And I think that's very interesting that he is going
06:21 so strong in that message.
06:22 Because obviously, in recent months,
06:24 we've seen that the SNP have been sliding in the polls,
06:26 Labour making some gains in Scotland,
06:28 and of course, making gains across the UK in those polls.
06:31 Humza Yousaf very much wanting to push the idea that,
06:34 for those roughly 50% of people in Scotland
06:37 who back independence, the SNP is the party
06:40 they should vote for.
06:41 There's been some polling analysis in recent months
06:44 that that old link between the SNP and independence
06:48 that voters had has maybe been broken for some people.
06:52 That there's a segment of independent supporters
06:54 that have moved away from the SNP.
06:56 And Humza Yousaf very much wanting to reverse that.
06:59 So appealing to the core vote, maybe that's
07:02 something that we'll see more of in the months ahead.
07:05 Vote SNP for a Scotland free from Tory MPs.
07:10 What a prize.
07:11 And friends, it was the SNP who had the moral courage,
07:17 the moral clarity to demand an immediate ceasefire
07:21 to stop the ongoing killing and the ongoing bloodshed in Gaza.
07:26 It was the SNP who have spoken out for what is right,
07:30 crucially, who have spoken up for Scotland.
07:34 For Labour and Tories, it is Westminster
07:37 that should have the final say.
07:39 And that is the fundamental choice
07:42 before the people of Scotland.
07:44 Friends, I don't pretend that the SNP has achieved everything
07:49 that we have set out to achieve.
07:50 But I am proud of what we have delivered.
07:53 The 90,000 children lifted out of poverty
07:58 and having their life chances improve,
08:00 thanks to measures that we have introduced,
08:03 such as the game-changing Scottish child payment.
08:06 What about the tens of thousands of young people
08:09 attending some of the world's best universities
08:12 right on their doorstep without paying a single penny
08:16 in tuition fees?
08:18 With Labour leading the Tories 20 to 25 points in the polls,
08:23 this would be the time for Keir Starmer
08:25 to be bold and to be radical.
08:28 Instead, he spends his time just attempting
08:31 to neutralise Tory attacks by imitating their policies.
08:34 So my offer to Keir Starmer is that where we can,
08:38 we will, of course, work constructively
08:41 with a future Labour government to introduce measures
08:44 for a fairer country.
08:47 We'll fight to protect the NHS from creeping privatisation
08:51 at Westminster.
08:53 We'll work with Labour if they want to end the two-child cap,
08:57 to lift children out of poverty.
09:00 Page one, line one of the SNP election manifesto will say,
09:05 "Vote SNP for Scotland to become an independent country,"
09:10 because of our core belief that every decision
09:14 about our country should be taken in Scotland.
09:19 Because Westminster doesn't work for us,
09:21 doesn't work for Scotland,
09:22 that there is a better alternative
09:24 to the misery of broken Brexit Britain.
09:27 There is hope as an independent nation
09:30 taking her rightful place in the European Union.
09:34 So let's get out there, let's win this election,
09:37 let's make Scotland a better, fairer, greener,
09:41 more prosperous nation for everybody.
09:43 Thank you very much.
09:44 (audience applauding)
09:47 (upbeat music)
09:52 (upbeat music)
09:54 [MUSIC]